25 Books I Couldn’t Put Down!

Getting bored with the same stories?  Need something that will make you love reading again?  These 25 books I couldn’t put down!  These books are ones that have become a part of me.

And if you don’t have time to sit and read, I’ve learned that Audible is a fabulous way to stay current on my reading even when I can’t sit with a book in my hand.

(Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links.)

#1 – Cutting for Stone by Abraham Varghese – This is my all-time favorite book!  I reread it often and each time is just as sweet as the first.  I will give you a warning – the first 90 pages you will think to yourself, why is this crazy girl putting this book on her books I couldn’t put down list, but wait for it.  Once you get that background knowledge, the rest of the pages paint a beautiful story.

#2 –  The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See – I love taking journeys into worlds that are foreign to me.  This story is amazing.  You get into the book and then you start noticing the dates things are happening and then this shock comes to you!  A beautiful story with characters that will live beyond the pages.

#3 – Seabiscuit by Lauren Hillenbrand – You don’t have to love horses to love this book.  A look into the hearts of animals and people, into a sport that pushes your limits, and to a belief that we are all filled with greatness.  The pages of this book read like a fiction story, but encompass the history of a time period when America needed something positive to cling to.  Seabiscuit is a model of getting out of our own way and going for what our hearts desire.

#4 – Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand – Following in the footsteps of Seabiscuit is the story of Louie Zamperini.  This man was amazing and his journeys and drive are a model for not giving up.

#5 – Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin – This book reads much like the books by Lauren Hillenbrand, but is written for younger readers.  However, the information in this book is so juicy I had to add it to the list.  The story of Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb.

#6 – When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead – Another book for younger readers but this is one of my all time favorites!  You won’t forget this book! And this is a great book to pair with A Wrinkle In Time.

#7 – The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt – This book is beyond words.  Such a beautifully written story. The main character became my friend and I missed him once the pages ended.

#8 – The Crossover by Kwame Alexander – A novel in verse.  Kwame Alexanfer is a genius with words and patterns.  His writing makes you want to read it out loud!

#9 – Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon – I love everything, everything about this love story!  It’s an amazing story of struggle and loss.

#10 – A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini – How a male author can write such beautiful women is beyond me. The story of these women stays with me and my connection to them is deeper every time I read it.  Absolutely beautiful!

#11 – The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – This was such an amazing read.  This book is a world that I know nothing of, or didn’t.  These characters though are so strong and resilent.

#12 – The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas – An amazing story that’s current with all of us.  The wide range of characters makes this one you will want to talk about with others.

#13 – Black Beauty by Anna Sewell – Told from the viewpoint of this amazing horse, this story is one about learning to make the most of your experiences.

#14 – Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate – This one will make you hold tight to your children.  The story of young siblings trying to escape the horror of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society in the early 1900s.

#15 – The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson – This fast paced novel kept me on the edge.  The mix of strong and vulnerable from the main character allowed me to identify with her.  This one was a great action packed book with a female hero.

#16 – Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann –  This book was an amazing insight into history.  This story is another one that is kept from the history books.  Death after death on a Native American reservation in the early 1900s and how the FBI began.  Such tragedy!

#17 – The Help by Kathryn Stockett – A wonderful story of women.  This was the first book my book club chose back in 2010 and it sealed us together.  You will have so much to discuss with this book.

#18 – South of Broad by Pat Conroy – I spent my college years in this beautiful city.  Pat Conroy invites you to feel the essence of Charleston – Its love, its fears, and its ability to survive again and again.

#19 – Eleanor Oliphant by Gail Honeyman – This book was amazing.  A brilliant story told from the point-of-view of Eleanor, a woman whose past has defined the way she views and interacts (or doesn’t interact) in the world.

#20 – Defending Jacob by William Landay – Wow!  This one will have you reading and asking questions.  Definitely one you won’t forget anytime soon!

#21 – The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty  – A page turned that will keep you up at night reading.  You just have to know!

#22 – The Martian by Andy Weir – I loved this book!  I am not a lover of science, but I was drawn in to all of the details.  I learned more about space from this book than anything else.  And the voice of the main character is so easy to fall in love with.  You will actually find yourself laughing out loud.

#23 – We Were Liars by E. Lockhart – Just READ it!  I can’t say more!  Just READ it!

#24 – The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach – A story of overcoming a fear of failure.  This is a fabulous read that you will enjoy even if you don’t love baseball.

#25 – Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng – I loved this one.  Such a beautifully written story with so many points of view.  Where do we fit? Why do we have these experiences?  You will be happy you added this one to your list.